


Illusions of a Broken Mirror

by whentherestrouble



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-03-12
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-03-31 05:14:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13968072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whentherestrouble/pseuds/whentherestrouble
Summary: Why did Terra do the things she did? Was she really as heartless as she appeared. An in-depth look into Season 2's events from everyone's favorite blonde girl's perspective. Rating may increase in the future, if we ever get that far into the story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Still a work in progress, been working on this one since 2012. The first chapter is a slight rewrite (done in... 2015) from the 2012. May do another rewrite in the future as well.

_He lied, he lied to me. He promised and he lied! He lied he lied he lied._

The bitter thought was chanted in time to Terra's breathing and steady jog. Once again, the slender blonde had conveyed her insecurities to someone she assumed she could trust, and then was betrayed by them. _He lied to me, just like Slade told me he would. Slade was right, he was actually right..._ A few tears managed to fall from her wide eyes as Terra continued running aimlessly through the empty desert with no final destination in mind. Far from Beast Boy and the Titans; that was all that mattered to her.

She was ashamed that she had allowed herself to become so distressed at the mention of her powers, and that she had made the error of revealing her secret to Beast Boy in the first place. Stupid, I'm just so stupid, she thought miserably.

Terra whimpered pitifully as she reflected on why she had originally gone to Jump City- she had felt a need to seek out the Teen Titans. What outcome had she expected to result from befriending them? Presently, Terra couldn't provide an adequate answer to ease her restlessness, but subconsciously she simply had wished to conceal her dark past. She had held onto the childish notion that if she did noble deeds like them, that it would erase the harm that had been caused by her powers. And most importantly, when she was with them, it felt like she had complete control.

 _Why can't things ever go right?_ She hadn't necessarily felt that the Titans were going to refuse to associate with her once her secret was discovered (like other "friends" had done). That was a possibility, but Terra was fairly certain that they wouldn't do that. Instead, she figured they would attempt to assist her, humor her, and then eventually grow tired of her. She figured that they would come to a conclusion that she was a broken weapon, the same as the majority of people she had come across on her journey had.

Dust clouds rose up, making her eyes water more than they already were. The whirl of dirt caused her to cough and she came to a stop. Immediately, she crumpled to the ground to in exhaustion. As she sat there, she pushed her grimy hair aside and grumbled about her missing hairclip. Despite it being a dark night, she almost instantly recognized the surrounding cliffs as ones that were near the cave she had stayed in the night before.

Her muscles ached greatly from fleeing the Tower and from the earlier battle with Slade. The fatigued girl wanted nothing more than to sleep, and was even tempted to do so right there on the ground. Knowing that the cave was a safer shelter, Terra sniffed back her snot and dragged herself a half mile to the cave's entrance.

She was completely alone now, confined in a musty cave with only her fading flashlight illuminating the walls. Terra slumped to the floor in a huddle on the familiar floor and fully released the tears that she had tried in vain to keep from falling. She had worked herself into a frenzy; what was she going to do now, where could she possibly go to next?

The prospect of remaining a slave to her unpredictable abilities as well as continuing to be the cause of deadly "natural disasters" made her weep. Like Slade said, Terra truly had meant to help people, but it was her powers that always ended up controlling her, and causing destruction.

When Terra had cried all of her tears out, she signed in pity at her misfortune. No one could ever help her, she decided. _No one_. She would have to proceed with her nomadic lifestyle, to ensure that no one would trace the earthquakes back to her. She felt numb, feeling almost at ease as she accepted this fate. Her mind had become hazy as the weariness began to take its full effect on her. She curled up in a ball, and arranged her head on the hard stone in the most comfortable position possible. Her wet eyes suddenly heavier than ever, Terra began to drift off.

She was abruptly woken from her sleep when a sudden noise outside the cave alerted her. Yet as she peered into the darkness, there seemed to be nothing there, but clouds and faint stars. Perhaps she had imagined it, the perplexed girl wondered as she sat up and squeezed her knees close to her.

"Hello, Terra." She jumped as a figure came appeared, illuminated by the moon that revealed itself from the clouds. She gasped in astonishment- how had this man found her? Somehow Terra knew that he was smirking under his mask and, for some reason, her fear of him had weakened slightly. Terra supposed that some of the shock factor at just how… creepy he was had worn off after meeting him earlier. "Considering that you're sleeping in a cave, I can assume that the green Titan did in fact break his promise?" he asked with a hint of smugness in his voice.

"What's it to you?" Terra snapped, as she rose to her feet. She didn't want to discuss this with him. Not now. She didn't want him to be here; she just wanted to sleep away her troubles and forget all that had occurred. He placed a gloved hand on her shoulder in an effort to give the illusion of sympathy, but she yanked away.

"S-seriously... what do you even want?", she demanded, her voice cracking as she tried to suppress her tears. Her distress caused the walls of the cave to shake slightly, and some pebbles ascended a few inches above the ground. _Why can't I figure out how to control it, why can't I get this right?_

"Now, child... We don't want your 'home' to crumble, do we?" Slade said, as he inched even closer to her, uncomfortably invading her personal space. "That would be a shame… I can't imagine that you'd want to have another death on your hands," he mused, cruel as ever. The small rocks crashed to ground. Against her will, Terra began whimpering again. In response, the older man bent forward, slowly lifting her head up with one hand and wiped away a tear that was sliding down her cheek.

"My dear, I can assist you, if that's what you desire," he began, reminding her of the offer he had made. "I can help you solve this little problem of yours; ease the worries that constantly plague you. Complete control over your powers- that is what I can give you." Slade paused for a moment to let that sink in. "You certainly have the potential, you simply require someone to guide you along the way." He stopped again, and carelessly spun a lock of stringy golden hair around his finger for a few moments before continuing. "I can teach you Terra. Teach you things that no one else possibly could."

Terra nibbled on her bottom lip as she considered this. Why did Slade want to become her mentor? Hadn't the Teen Titans warned her of his treacherous ways? Perhaps they had been mistaken; maybe he wasn't as dreadful or evil as everyone had thought. After all, the masked man had sought her out in the desert despite her declining his proposition earlier. It wasn't as if she could trust the Titans anymore. Slade had been correct in predicting Beast Boy's actions, and now it seemed as if he genuinely wanted to help her. The scrawny girl hesitated, briefly remembering the previous teachers that had given up on her, because they had no idea how to approach her abilities. Somehow, Slade seemed to know what he was doing.

After pondering all this, the choice was clear: she would allow herself to be taken under Slade's wing for a brief period of time, at least until she was educated on how to work her powers. There was no harm in that she decided, none at all.

She drew in a sharp breath and opened her mouth to speak. "I… I'll accept your help," Terra declared with an air of false confidence. She quickly glanced down to stare at her boots, not wanting to meet his gaze as he leered at her with his intimidating eye. "Please…." she added. Terra wasn't sure how he was going to reply; she almost expected him to retract the offer.

"Yes," the man said after a long moment. "You will become my apprentice and learn all that is required to transform you into the diamond that you truly are," Slade told her, alluding to their earlier encounter in the mine. Relief flooded through her and Terra relaxed as she realized that if he really could help her, she would be free from the curse of her powers. No more hurting anyone, she thought. No more guilt.

As Terra looked up, she realized that Slade had walked out and was already a considerable distance away. "Wait!" she cried as she rushed out of the cave.

"Are you coming?" he asked, turning to face her. He was forcing her to finalize her decision.

Terra nodded eagerly, and raced after the man like a loyal puppy. Blindly she followed him, unknowing to the fact that she had just sold her soul.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After 4 years, here is a continuation of this fic. I know it's not the most exciting, but I really wanted to capture Terra's first moments as Slade's apprentice.
> 
> Additionally, the first chapter has been updated to reflect my current writing style, because I cringed when rereading it ahaha.
> 
> Enjoy!

Not wanting to trigger her powers, Terra forced herself to breathe deeply as she racked her memories and looked at her surroundings.

This bed is so soft… That was definitely odd. She had not had the luxury of a comfortable place to sleep for a long while; even though she had been loaned the T-tower's sofa for an evening, sleeping had been minimal for Terra that night. That's right… the Titans! How had she forgotten?

Oh man, with me being kidnapped, (or whatever this is) Beast Boy and the others are probably worried sick right no- Oh, yeah. Right.

Her haziness was beginning to fade and her memory was becoming clearer. Right-o, she thought grimly. Things didn't go like I planned. So I got out of there. The Titans were not as how she had imagined; they were not to be trusted. At all.

Recalling her final moments with the Teen Titans only angered her, so Terra focused her thoughts to what occurred shortly after. Slade found me. And like everything else, they lied about him, too.

That was all that Terra could remember of the previous day. She had agreed to let the older man train her and that was all she could recollect. She must have been led through the desert to wherever she was now, although she had no memory of doing such. Wasn't a kidnapping after all, the teenager thought dryly.

Terra was so immersed in her that thoughts that she almost didn't hear a faint tapping on her door. Knockknock. A few seconds pause. Knockknock. Another hesitation. Knockknock.

Terra knew she should call out a reply, but the words were stuck in her dry throat. Instead, she scrambled out from the multiple heavy blankets and staggered towards the large wooden (Is that oak?) door. Before she reached it however, Terra tumbled over her boots that had been set beside the massive bed.

As she slid and received a slight rug burn from the thick, luscious, and (most likely expensive) navy blue carpet, a delectable aroma wafted from the door. Terra was unable to place what precisely the delicious smell was, but it caused her empty stomach to grumble nonetheless.

Mouth now watering, Terra sprung to her feet and raced to the door in hopes of discovering the source of the scent. Uncertain if someone remained standing on the other side, Terra cautiously pulled the door open.

Nobody was there, but what was waiting for her in the corridor was a wide teacart stacked high with varieties of breakfast foods. Pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs, toast, fresh fruit, orange juice, milk, tea… That's why I couldn't figure out the smell!

Terra's blue eyes widened as they darted across the tray. Was this really for her? Even if it wasn't, Terra felt near famished and had already begun to dive into the meal. Ignoring the silverware placed neatly beside the large pile of food, Terra dug her grubby fingers in and shoved handfuls into her mouth.

After bingeing until her hunger subsided enough to allow rational thought again, Terra wiped her hands & face on a napkin and then rolled the cart into her room.

There, she sat on the enormous bed with its cream colored linens and nibbled on toast as she glanced about the ornate chamber. Whoever owns this joint must be looooaded, she mused. Or maybe this is a hotel… Whatever, all I know is I like this place! she thought as she reached for a cheese Danish.

The Danishes bordered the forks and atop the forks was a folded stationary note. It was evident that being located on the utensils meant that the note was meant to be read first, but with Terra's eating habits it was fortunate that she had found it at all.

It read:  
 _Please enjoy. Master Slade will visit your quarters shortly after you complete your meal to discuss the matter of your lessons. See to it that you dress yourself; your clothes have been cleaned and are in the wardrobe. ___

__The note, along with the abundance of food, reminded her of her princess days and being waited on. Terra rolled her eyes at the thought; she was glad to have left that life behind her._ _

__Terra quickly reread the note to make sure she hadn't missed anything. At the mention of her clothing she only now realized that she was wearing a plain white t-shirt that was thin and worn. It seemed to be a grown man's shirt, as it was quite large and was more of a dress on Terra. Had Slade undressed her and changed her clothing? Had it been the author of the note? No matter who had done it, a stranger had seen her near-naked. How embarrassing!_ _

__'Slade will accompany you shortly…' How much time did she have until he walked in on her? She really didn't want anyone to see her in this disheveled state. Terra rushed to the dresser to retrieve her clothing and dressed herself as fast as possible. Just as she slipped her shirt on, Slade came into the room._ _

__"Good afternoon, Terra. Sit down, we have many matters discuss."_ _


	3. Chapter 3

Terra’s eyes widened in awe as Slade walked in. He was still wearing his mask, but he lacked much of his standard armor. It wasn’t that she expected him to be fully costume all the time, but Terra was surprised that he was letting down his guard in front of her.

At his instructions, she obeyed and hopped onto the edge of the bed. Slade pulled up an ornate, antique-looking chair as Terra perched forward to lean on her arm. She was still somewhat in shock that she had made the decision to come with him, but the way he was acting now… It seemed much less threatening.

“You wish to seek control for your powers,” he said simply, acknowledging the fact. And reminding her of their previous conversation. His one eye was aimed intently on Terra. “As I have told you, I can do that for you, my dear child. I have trained many who did not know their full potential, and I will do the same for you. They have gone on to other pursuits, and now have masterful control of their abilities.” This was reassuring to her, knowing that he had some sort of experience.

“Terra, if you really are dedicated to wanting to work on your powers, I am offering you the opportunity to allow myself to become your mentor. I will teach you everything you need to know to gain control.” He spoke with authority, and she was captivated. 

Terra gazed up at him, and nodded her head slowly. This is what she wanted. The Titans had lied to her about what Slade was like, and he could help her. This was the right decision.

“If you are willing and able- As I have offered previously; I will take you on as my apprentice, my dear.” He paused, looking her over. “It will be a challenge, but I know you are capable. Is this what you want, Terra? Will you allow me to help you?”

Terra nodded again, her untamed hair bouncing. Apprentice still seemed like a weird term to her, but she would do whatever it took to gain the control she needed. She would work hard to do it, for sure.

 

“Good. I will arrange a training schedule for you, and we will begin tomorrow. In order for you to use your abilities to the fullest while maintaining the proper level of command over them, you will be following a strict regime. You will be learning not only combat skills, but as my apprentice you will be immersed in a well-rounded lifestyle. You will have studies and duties to upkeep, and you will remain housed my estate as long as it takes for you to gain sufficient levels of control. Do you understand, Terra?”

Terra felt a little overwhelmed by his words, but she nodded. It sounded like a lot of work, but it’d be worth it. She was going to show the Titans that she _was_ capable. 

“Yeah, I do.” She didn't quite understand what exactly was going to go into this ‘apprenticeship’, but it sounded like he knew what he was doing. Her heart was all fluttery- this was it. She would finally be free from her unruly powers.

“Then I will see you tomorrow, Terra. Please be ready for physical training by 10am. Wintergreen will have your schedule for you by noon when we will break for lunch.” He stood up, and pushed his chair aside.

“Take the day to become accustomed to the grounds. There is a shower across the hall that you may use to clean up, if you so desire. Wintergreen will fetch you for today's meals.” Slade began his way to the door. “I will see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Terra didn’t know if she should say anything else. Was a ‘goodbye’ appropriate? Before she could consider opening her mouth, he was already out the door. Terra was beginning to feel excitement at what was being offered; proper training, food security... And a really big house. Terra was hyped up, and ready to explore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm back after 3 years or so. Been revisiting my Terra muse, and I've been revisiting some of my older fics. And I think this is /the/ oldest I have published at the moment.


End file.
